Microsoft Expression Design is a powerful illustration tool that allows you to create both vector and bitmap graphics. In this chapter, learn the necessary steps for installing Expression Design on PCs, identify the basic items of the Expression Design interface, open pre-existing documents and create new ones from scratch. Most importantly, learn all about document page structure and how to control the size of your artboard and document.

Introduction

Microsoft Expression Design is a powerful illustration tool that allows you to create both vector and bitmap graphics for
use in projects created with the other applications in the Studio suite, including Expression Web and Expression Blend. It
is only available for purchase as part of Expression Studio and not as a standalone application.

As a tightly integrated member of the Studio suite, Expression Design allows you to design custom web graphics and export
them as GIFs or JPEGs for use in sites created with Expression Web. You can also use Expression Design to create custom user
interface controls and export them in the native XAML format for use in interfaces created with Expression Blend.

In this chapter, you will learn the necessary steps for installing Expression Design on PCs running either the Windows XP
or Windows Vista operating systems. (Expression Studio is currently not available for Mac OS X.) You will also learn to identify
the basic items of the Expression Design interface, as well as how to open pre-existing documents and create new ones from
scratch. Most importantly, you’ll learn all about document page structure and how to control the size of your artboard and
document.

Once you’ve mastered these basic fundamentals, you can move on to familiarizing yourself with the available panels and tools
in Expression Design.